\Z,&\ 



MANN NEPHEWS 

BOOKSELLERS &cW 
39,CORNHILL.J| 



I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 



t> 00 $ 

J UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. J 



SHORT WHIST : 



ITS RISE, PROGRESS, AND LAWS ; 

WITH OBSERVATIONS 

TO MAKE ANY ONE A WHIST PLAYER. 
BY MAJOR A * * * * *. 
FOURTEENTH EDITION. 

TO WHICH ARE ADDED* 

PRECEPTS FOR TYROS. 
BY MRS. B * * * * *. 



Behold four kings, in majesty revered, 

With hoary whiskers and a forky beard ; 

And four fair queens, whose hands sustain a flower^ — 

The expressive emblem of their softer power ; 

Four knaves in garbs succinct, a trusty band, 

Caps on their heads, and halberts in their hands ; 

And party-coloured troops, a shining train, 

Draw forth to combat on the velvet plain. Popu. 



LONDON : 

LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, LONGMANS, & ROBERTS. 

1858 



GrV/2& 



LONDON- : 

PEIJS"TED BY SPOTTISWOODE AIS T D CO. 
NEW-STBEET SQUAEE. 



PREFACE 

TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



The flattering reception of this little trea- 
tise (as evinced by a second edition being 
required within two short months) has in- 
duced the Editor to revise it most carefully. 
At the suggestion of some of the best players 
at the first clubs he has added several laws 
of the game now observed, but which are 
either omitted or not clearly expressed in 
the old authority, Hoyle, in order that the 
Major may be a standard and complete re- 
ference at the Whist table ; also some pecu- 
liarities of Short Whist, particularly respecting 
finessing, that will be useful to those wishing 
to excel in a favourite amusement, and to 



4 PREFACE. 

overcome prejudices as to modes of play. 
The Whist of Brookes's, White's, and Graham's 
clubs is no more like country play than 
Phillidor's game of chess was like that of 
Mrs. Grundy; remarks, therefore, inducing 
young players to reflect will be of some 
service, as they may be assured that skill in 
nothing, not even in a game at cards, can be 
acquired without thinking about it. 

St, James's Street, March* 182,1. 



3 

CONTENTS. 



Page 

Order of the Day • 7 

Precepts for Tyros, by Mrs. B.. 10 

Invocation 21 

Historical fact, moreover, true fact 22 

Short commons, and a grave question by spades 23 
How the Longs went out, and the Shorts came in 25 

The Major's maiden speech 27 

Laws, as laid down by the best authorities 30 

Discussions discussed.... 39 

How to take care of yourself, begin with No. 1. 41 

Peculiarities of Short Whist 50 

Maxims for beginners 54 

Low Whist not high.. o 56 

How the Major contrived to stand sitting up... 57 

Under play 79 — 85 

Tenace and finesse 81 — 89 



O CONTENTS. 

Page 

Examples : — As usual, full of great A's and 

B's 81 

A stroke at Whist equal to a move at chess 84 

Whist mnemonics 87 

The Major makes his bow 90 



Connubial Conversation 91 

Laws of Piquet 94 

Cassino 99 

Ecarte 102 

Cribbage , * 108 

Backgammon • • ••• 111 



i 



ORDER OF THE DAY. 



Whereas it has been suggested that the Major 
was but an indifferent drill-sergeant — that is 
to say, an impatient one — seeing that he put 
arms into the hands of his numerous recruits 
before they were perfect in their facings, or 
could march well ; in other words, that his j 
treatise on the tactics of Short Whist was 
adapted to old hands only; — it was therefore t 
thought advisable by his representatives here 
above (on a sixth edition being requisite), to 
send him respectfully an intimation to this effect ; 
below, by the new penny post which is to pene- 
trate every where; and making due apologies for 
invading the quiet of the Elysian fields, our j 
postman waited his answer. 

He smiled blandly, on opening the packet ; 



8 ORDER OF THE DAY. 

j seemed to call up his ancient reminiscences ; 

| looked around upon the verdant fields, as if he 
thought their green almost equal to that of the 

j cloth he loved. We have had high authority, 
— no less than that of a Pope — for the ruling 
passion being strong in death ; — a post-man 
surely ought to be good testimony for its being 

I as strong after it. 

I 

And he declares that our venerable Major 
rubbed his hands on finding he was still quoted 
and remembered in St. James's Street. 

" Sixth edition!" cried he: " my Maxims for 

I 

Beginners don't begin at the beginning ! ! — 
prodigious!! — Well, I'll go and consult my 
friend Mrs. Battle." 

Off glided the ghost of the Major, and soon 
found the worthy sister shade — happily in calm 
[ humour — taking a cup of Lethean tea with her 
worthy father, Charles Lamb — who, by the by, 

II laced it with a little brandy. 



ORDER OF THE DAY. $ 

" Major A.," said she, " most welcome." 

" Mrs. B.," said the Major, making a low 
bow, " I come to consult you about some in- 
telligence I have just received concerning my 
little book on Short Whist." 

Mrs. B. Short ! I Ve no patience with Short ! 
You spoilt the game among ye, like every thing 
else above. — Hurry ! hurry ! do we not almost 
hear the rumbling of those abominable railroads 
over head ? — Bah ! I hate a fuss : I never was 
in a hurry. 

Major A. Except, perhaps, on a washing-day. 

Mrs, B. Perhaps ; but that was all owing to 
the detestable steam : — I hate it in any shape ; 
it spoilt even our trips to Gravesend. Instead of 
having four or five hours in a smack for our 
money, are we not now obliged to get there 
in two? — But I forget that we have no con- 
cern in all this now; so let us hear what you 
have to say. 



10 



THE GAME OF WHIST. 



Major A. I am here informed that I ought to 
have begun at the beginning; that is to say, 
that my little work does not at all instruct those 
who have no previous knowledge of the game. 

Mrs. B. To be sure — I Ve told you so fifty 
times. There, Major, there are my Precepts for 
Tyros (taking a soiled paper out of a huge 
pocket): you may have them printed, if you like, 
at any press not worked by steam. 



MRS. BATTLE'S PRECEPTS FOR TYROS. 

The left-hand adversary should always shuffle 
the cards before the dealer, without fail. 

Never play with cards that have any mark, or 
that are unequally soiled. 

Never play for or bet more money than you 
can conveniently pay at the moment, if a loser. 
Supposing every thing perfectly fair, he who is 



THE GAME OF WHISTr II 

agitated about the stake must play to evident 
disadvantage: once begin to chalk up, and 
there is no end to it. Moreover, all those 
gentlemen, whose cabs roll upon the aces, 
would soon walk on foot, if IOU's, counters, and 
credit were abolished. 

Playing a rubber for amusement is one thing, 
gambling another : the first is a wholesome 
specific against ennui, the latter is poison. 

However trifling the stake, always play ,a 
strict game, and adhere rigidly to the laws of 
it ; to do which, it is necessary to be thoroughly 
acquainted with them. 

Major A. With due submission, Ma'am, this is 
not exactly the beginning. 

Mrs. B. Not a bad one, nevertheless, Major : 
any body can put the beginning first. I choose 
to have it in the middle ; so go on. 



12 



THE GAME OF WHIST. 



THE GAME OF WHIST. 

This game is played by four persons, who cut 
the cards for partners. The two highest are 
against the two lowest. The person who cuts 
the lowest is entitled to the deal. In cutting, 
j j the ace is lowest. 

Each person has a right to shuffle the cards 
;j before the deal; but it is usual for the eldest 
hand only, and the dealer after. 

The deal is made by having the pack cut by 
the right-hand adversary; and the dealer dis- 
tributing the cards one at a time, to each, be- 
ginning with the left-hand adversary, till he 
comes to the last card, which he turns up, being 
the trump, and leaves it on the table till the 
; first trick is played. 

No intimations of any kind during the play of 
the cards between the partners are to be admitted. 



THE GAME OF WHIST. 13 

The mistake of one party is the game of the 
adversary, except in a revoke, when the partner 
may inquire if he has any of the suit in his 
hand. 

The tricks belonging to each party should be 
turned and collected by those who win the first 
trick in every hand. 

The ace, king, queen, and knave of trumps, 
are called honours; and when either of the 
partners have three separately, or between them, 
they count two points towards the game, and in 
case they have four honours, they count four 
points. 

Five points are the game. 

TERMS USED IN THE GAME. 

Finessing, is when a card is led and you have 
the best and third of that suit, you put the third 
best on that lead, and run the risk of your ad- 



14- THE GAME OF WHIST. 

versary having the second best of it, which if he 
has not, you gain a trick. 

Forcing, means the obliging your partner or 
adversary to trump a suit. 

Long trumps, means one or more when the 
rest are out. 

Loose Card, means a card in hand of no. 
value, and the properest to throw away. 

Points, Five make the game ; as many as are 
gained by tricks and honours, so many points 
are set up to the score of the game. 

See-Saw, is when each partner trumps a suit. 

Score, is the number of points, which are set 
up in the following manner : — 

One Two Three Four 

00 000 0000 

Slam, is when either party wins every trick. 

Tenace, is having the first and third best 
cards, and being last player, you catch the 
adversary when that suit is played. 



THE GAME OF WHIST. 



15 



Terce, is a sequence of any three cards in a 
suit.* 

Quart, is a sequence of four ; 
Quint, of five. 

SHORT STANDING RULES, ETC. 

1. Lead from your strong suit, and be cautious 
how you change suits, and keep a commanding 
card to bring it in again. 

2. Lead through the strong suit of your ad- 
versaries, and up to the weak. 

3. Lead the highest of a sequence ; but if you 
have a terce, quart, or quint to a king, lead the 
lowest. 

4. Lead through an honour, particularly if 
the game is much against you. 

5. Lead your best trump, if the adversaries 
are three, and you have no honour ; but not if 



16 THE GAME OF "WHIST. 

you have four trumps, unless you have a se- 
quence. 

6. Lead a trump if you have four or five, or a 
strong hand ; but not if weak. 

7. Having ace, king, and two or three small 
cards, lead king and ace, if weak in trumps ; but 
a small one if strong in them. 

8. If you have the last trump, with some 
winning cards, and one losing card only, lead 
the losing card. 

9. Return your partner's lead, not the ad- 
versary's ; and if you have only three originally, 
play the best ; but you need not return it im- 
mediately when you win with a king, queen, or 
knave, and have only small ones ; or when you 
hold a good sequence, have a strong suit, or 

!j have five trumps. 

10. Do not lead from ace, queen, or ace, knave. 

11. Do not lead an ace unless you have a 
! king. 



THE GAME OF WHIST. 17 

12. Do not lead a thirteenth card unless 
trumps are out. 

13. Do not trump a thirteenth card, unless 
you are last player, or want the lead. 

14. Keep a small card to return your partner's 
lead. 

15. Be cautious in trumping a card when 
strong in trumps, particularly if you have a 

' strong suit. 

16. Having only a few small trumps, make 
them when you can. 

17. If your partner refuses to trump a suit, of 
| which he knows you have not the best, lead 

your best trump. 

18. When you hold losing cards only, and all j 
the remaining trumps, play one, and then try to 
put the lead into your partner's hand. 

19. Remember* how many of each suit are 

| out, and what is the best card left in each hand. ! 

• jj 

* For a system of Whist Mnemonics, see pp. 72, 73. 



18 THE GAME OF WHIST. 

20. Never force your partner if you are weak 
in trumps, unless you have a renounce, or want 
the odd trick only, or the fifth trick to save a 
game. 

21. When playing for the odd trick, be cau- 
tious of trumping out, especially if your partner 
is likely to trump a suit ; and make all the 
tricks you can early, and avoid finessing. 

22. If you take a trick, and have a sequence, 
win it with the lowest, to your partner's lead, 
with the highest to your adversaries*. 

SECOND HAND. 

23. Having ace, king, and small ones, play a 
small one, if strong in trumps, but the king if 
weak ; and having ace, king, queen, or knave 
only, with a small one, play the small one. 



THIRD HAND. 

24. Having ace and queen, play the queen, 



THE GAME OF WHIST. 19 

and if it wins, return the ace, and in all other 
cases play the best, if your partner leads a small 
one. 

25. Neglect not to make the odd trick, or the 
fifth trick, when in your power. 

26. Attend to the score, and play the game 
accordingly. 

27. Do not part with the card turned up till 
the last. 

28. When in doubt, win the trick. 

29. Never scold — it only bothers a bad player, 
and teaches nobody. 

Major A. took Mrs. B. at her word ; sent the 
identical paper to us, which, as a curious relic 
from the other world, will no doubt be sought 
after by collectors of autographs ; and when we 
have clone printing from it, may be had at the 
low price of 50 guineas. 



SHORT WHIST. 



I 

Short Whist started up, and overthrew the 
ancient Long Dynasty, about twenty-five years 
ago : yet, strange to say, no historian has hitherto 
recorded the event. Ought not this most mo- 
mentous of all revolutions to have its causes 
and effects investigated ? — to have its mighty 
influences upon the fortunes of mankind traced 
to their source ? Yea. Come then, oh Muse ! 
in the shape of the Queen of Trumps, and im- 
part to my feeble hand and pen all the strength 
and finesse thy welcome presence can give. 



— =-j 
I 

22 SHORT WHIST. 

This revolution (compared to which those of 
j 1789 and of 1830 were mere things of a day) was 
| occasioned by a worthy Welsh baronet preferring 
his lobster for supper hot. Four first-rate Whist- 
players — consequently, four great men — ad- 
journed from the House of Commons to Brookes's, 
and proposed a rubber while the cook was busy. 
" The lobster must be hot," said the baronet. 
" A rubber may last an hour," said another, iC and 
the lobster cold again, or spoiled, before we have 
finished." — " It is too long," said a third. " Let 
| us cut it shorter," said a fourth. — Carried nem. 

con. Down they sat, and found it very lively 
j to win or lose so much quicker. Besides fur- 
nishing conversation at supper, the thing was 
new — they were legislators, and had a fine 
opportunity to exercise their calling. Let us j 
imagine these four sages to represent the four 
suits. 



SHORT WHIST. 23 

SrADES (digging into the bowels of the lob- 
ster). Five shall be game without reckoning 
honours ; thus leaving less to chance and more 
to skill. 

Clubs. Then you will never get indifferent 
players to play, and knock up the game alto- 
ther. 

Diamonds. Three should save lurch ; and 
without calling, the honours may be then scored ; 
but not at four. 

Hearts. I have finished the lobster ; let us try 
again, upon the last-named principle, with which 
I am seriously inclined to coincide, and settle it. 
All. Agreed. 

So they settled to it, and went home in hack- 
ney-coaches by daylight, satisfied with having 
I performed this arduous duty. 

Next day St. James's Street was in commotion ; 
the Longs and the Shorts formed each a party, 
and violent was the contention between them. 



24< 



SHORT WHTST. 



All the gamblers were Shorts ; and, by dint of that 

i 

eloquence which invariably flows in streams of 
persuasion when any thing is to be got, suc- 
ceeded in bringing over many middling players, 
| to think it a good thing to have more frequent 
I opportunities of losing, or, may be, winning. The 
regular old stagers made an obstinate stand ; 
they were Longs to the back-bone. What ! (cried 
they) overthrow the venerable institutions handed 
down by our forefathers, which we are bound to 
transmit unsullied to posterity ? What is to be- 
| come of all those calculations of the odds that we 
have got by rote, and which by prescription are 
an integral part of the game? How can we 
become suddenly habituated to this new-fangled 
rapidity ? it is change, but not reform : never 
will we consent to so great, so dangerous, an in- 
novation. They were soon, however, outvoted ; 
those " whose chariots roll upon the four aces"* 

i 

* Provoked Husband. 



SHORT WHIST. 



25 



had succeeded in gaining over the multitude who 
play Whist without ever thinking about it. The 
Longs began to give way, fearing to lose their 
diurnal amusement altogether, and listened to 
their opponents, who soon made it plain that good 
steady play would be recompensed, by obtaining 
a greater advantage, inasmuch as the loss of a 
critical odd trick, one out of five, must be oftener 
fatal than one out of ten ; and the events being 
multiplied, the influence of bad play upon them 

must be multiplied also. In revenge of the 

• I 

clamouring mob of bunglers, they coalesced with 

i 

the gamblers ; and even went beyond them by 
introducing French points : thus the stakes were 
not only imperceptibly doubled by cutting the 
game in halves ; but a very pretty addition made 
to them by this amendment, which ordained the 
points played for to be eight, instead of five. 

The waves of commotion having thus subsided, 
the original stirrers-up of the storm, instead of 



26 



SHORT WHIST. 



losing their heads, like many of their great pro- 
totypes, were installed as lawgivers upon the 
occasion: they framed a code, which has been 
observed to this day. Their constituents were, 
strange to say, all satisfied; and St. James's 
I ! echoed to the cry of " Long live Shorts ! ! ! " 

As frequently happens, however, in another 
| place, where laws are manufactured upon such 
|i comparatively trifling matters as trade, taxation, j 

life and death, poor-laws, and the church (all 
!i which we must allow to be of very secondary 
I consideration to the noble game of Whist), the 
House of aces, kings, queens, and knaves made a 
| botch — committed a very glaring and obvious 
error, which ought to be amended in a future bill ; 
and, as my strength and constitution have been 
completely renovated by means which I will im- 
part to the gentle reader before I have done with 
him, and as I mean to live and stand for the next 
Whist Parliament, I hereby give notice of a 



SHORT WHIST. 27 

motion to alter and amend the clause which allows 
four by honours and two by honours to be scored. 
I have already gone so far as to have a speech 
made for the occasion ; and intend, as is cus- 
tomary, to give Mr. I., the actor, a guinea a 
lesson, to teach me how to speak it. Here it is : — - 
" Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, 
" and feeling my inability to do justice to the 
c< mighty interests of the illustrious persons, 
" whose presence fills every heart with gladness, 

i 

«* I must regret that no abler advocate has taken I ! 
" their cause in hand. Inadequate as are my 
" powers to assign to them all the merit they 
" are entitled to, I am free to confess that a 
" sense of imperative duty impels me to rise, and 
" to take all the sense I can find of the House 
" upon this simple, yet important, point. When 1 
" the great men who framed the existing law cut 
" the game of Whist in halves, and thereby 
" doubled the pleasure and profit of their pains- 



28 



SHORT WHIST. 



" taking and most deserving fellow-subjects, — 
" when, I say, they boldly cut away the half that 
" was superfluous, — when they with admirable 
" arithmetic made what used to be ten, five, 
" ought they not to have cut the whole, — ought 
" they not to have cut the honours in halves 
" also ? By omitting this, they have done their 
" work by halves. {Hear ! hear!) Is it not sense, 
" is it not justice, is it not reason, that, the game 
" being halved, all parts of it should have been 
K halved, and three honours reckoned one point, 
" four honours reckoned two points ? Thus would 
" the aristocratic portion of this useful game be 
" kept within due bounds, — would not, by possess- 
" ing (as at present) an undue and unpopular 
" power and preponderance, excite those feelings 
" which must ultimately be injurious even to 
" themselves ; and which they will, no doubt, 
" with their well-known liberality, now willingly 
u concede. 



SHORT WHIST. 29 

" I must, add, however, that whatever is given 
" up, they will yield from a sense of right, — not 
" giving way to idle clamour, which they despise, 
66 as it is well known they are thorough game. 

" I therefore conclude, by moving, first, for an 
" authentic return of what is scored at Whist in 
i{ the best societies,, distinguishing between what 
6< is scored by tricks and what by honours, — and, 

when these are officially before the House, 
i( secondly, that a committee be appointed to 
" search into the laws of this important game 
" generally, and to report if great benefit to the 
" public may not arise from any, and what, alter- 
" ations in them." 



30 



LAWS OF SHORT WHIST AS NOW PLAYED. 



1. The game is five up ; one point scored 
saves a triple game ; three points scored saves 
a double game. The rubber is reckoned two 
points, making eight in the whole. 

2. Honours are not scored at the point of four. 

3. In cutting for partners, the two highest and 
the two lowest play together ; the lowest deals, 
and has the choice of cards and seats ; the ace 
is lowest. Should a second cut be requisite in 
consequence of two cards of equal value being 
cut, and the lowest of the original four 7iot be one 
of those who cut a second time, that original 
lowest has the deal and choice, notwithstanding 
two lower cards may be cut subsequently. 

PFTien three cards of equal value are cut, the 
deal and choice belong to the fourth, if the lowest 



SHOKT WHIST. 31 

before the second cut ; if the fourth be the highest, 
he is the partner of the highest after the second 
cut, and the lowest has the deal. 

4. Every player has a right to shuffle the 
cards ; but the dealer has the option of shuffling 
last ; no one can alter the pack in any way after 
the cards are cut. 

5. A less number than four cards taken from 
the top, or left at the bottom, is not a fair cut, — 
they must be replaced, and the cards cut again. 

6. Should any card be exposed, or seen in 
cutting, the cards must be reshuffled and cut 
again. 

7. The dealer is not allowed to touch the cards 
on the table, in order to rectify any error, or sup- 
posed error, in dealing ; and cannot take back a 
card from more than one parcel ; that is to say, 
if he drops two cards by mistake, and has con- 
tinued beyond the hand on which the extra card 
fell, it is a misdeal. 



32 SHORT WHIST. 

8. If the dealer turns up a card by his own 
fault, the adverse party, on naming it, may call 
a new deal before the trump is turned ; but if 
any card except the last be faced, it is a new 
deal of course. 

9. If, however, either of the adverse party 
touch the cards during the operation of dealing, 
they cannot call a fresh deal under any circum- 
stances, and in case of a misdeal the dealer is 
entitled to deal again. 

10. Anyone dealing out of turn may be stop- 
ped before the trump card is turned ; if not dis- 
covered until afterwards, the deal goes on in 
rotation ; and where two packs of cards are used 
(as is now the custom) the packs as changed I 
must so continue. 

11. Should any player have but twelve cards, 
and the others their proper number, the deal 
stands ; and he who has the twelve cards (sup- ; 
posing the pack to have been originally perfect) 



SHORT WHIST. | 33 

is subject to the penalty for any revoke he may 
have made ; but if either have fourteen cards, the 
deal is lost. Count your cards as you sort them, 

12. If the dealer drop the last card upon 
others with the face downwards before it has 
been seen, he loses the deal; it is, however, 
permitted to place it apart, while bets are made, 
or the former deal settled. 

If the dealer, in 'placing the cards after the 
cut, drop a centre card, so as to be unable to 
tell its proper position in the pack, it is a mis- 
deal. 

13. The dealer should leave the trump card 
on the table till he has played, after which no 
one is entitled to see it, but may enquire at any 
time what suit is trumps. Should the trump 
card be left on the table after the first trick is 
turned, it may be called. 

14. Every player, before a trick is touched, 
may insist upon knowing who played a particular 



c 



34 * SHORT WHIST. 

card, or require each to lay his card before him, 
which comes to the same thing. Formerly the 
demand for a particular card must be made 
before playing; but, according to the authority 
of my old friend Matthews, it was settled other- 
wise — and very properly. 

15. If one of the players omit playing to a 
trick, and remain with a card more than the rest, 
the adversaries have the option of calling a new 
deal. 

16. If the third player play before the second, 
the fourth or last player may play before his 
partner ; if the fourth player play before the se- 
cond (his partner), the second may be compelled 
to win, or be prevented from winning the trick. 

17. After four cards are played, no error in 
playing out of turn can be rectified. 

18. Mistakes in scoring tricks may be rectified 
at any time during the game, whether called or 
not — also honours, if proved to have been called 



SHORT WHIST. 35 

in time ; namely, before the trump card of the 
next deal is turned up. 

19. If any person lead out of his turn, the 
adversaries have the option either to call the card 
so played, at any time, or to call at the time any 
suit they choose from the partner who ought to 
have played. 

20. If any one, supposing he has won a trick, 
lead again before his partner has played to it, 
the adversaries may oblige the partner to win it. 

21. A card to be called must have been sepa- 
rated from the rest — and named. Should he 
who calls a card name a wrong one, he may have 
his best or worst card of any suit called during 
the deal. This applies to a card or cards not 
actually shown on the table : but any card or 
cards falling on the table with their faces up- 
wards, or that are shown in any way so that the 
partner might by possibility see them, must be 
left on the table exposed if so required. 



c 2 



! 36 SHORT WHIST. 

22. An exposed card, or a suit, must be called 
before the party plays ; but he may be desired to 
stop, and the adversaries may consult as to calling. 

23. A card is liable to be called if named, or 

l 

even hinted by any player to be in his hand. 

24. If a player trumps a suit by mistake, and 
! the adversary plays a small card in consequence, 

the small card may be taken back (without be- 
ing liable to be called), and the trick won with 
a higher card. 

25. Cards thrown down must remain upon the 
table, and may be called by the adversaries. 

26. If a person declares he "can win the 
game," or " win so many tricks," or speaks in 
such a way as to inform his partner that he has 
either a good or a bad hand, he may be compelled 
to lay his cards upon the table to be called. 

27. Any one is entitled to ask at any time 
" what suit is trumps?" but not to be informed 
which was the trump card.3 



. I 

SHORT WHIST. 37 

28. A player is entitled at any time to see the j 
last trick turned, but never to see more than 
eight cards. 

29. There are three ways of exacting a penalty 
for a revoke, which takes place of every other 
score : — three tricks may be taken from the party 
revoking ; or three points from their score ; or 
three added to their adversaries' score. And 
whichever way the penalty may be taken, the 
revoking party must remain at four notwith- 
standing sufficient might have been left to make 
them game.* 

30. A revoke is not established before the 

* There is frequently judgment required in selecting 
the penalty for a revoke. If the revoking party be four 
love, add three to your own score, as it saves a double 
game, and puts you at three to four : if he be at three, 
take them away from his score ; and so on. In taking away 
his tricks, recollect you may safely leave him to reckon ho- 
nours : as he must remain at four, it is only to calculate 
how the scores will remain, after the penalty is taken. 



38 SHOUT WHIST. 

party revoking or his partner has played again, 
or the trick has been turned and quitted^ by 
every finger being removed from it ; but the 
adversaries may call for the highest or lowest of 
the suit at the time, or the card shown at any 
period of the deal. 

31. If a revoke be claimed, the adversaries 
forfeit as for a revoke, if they mix the tricks 
before it is settled. 

32. No revoke can be claimed after the cards 
are cut for the next deal. 

33. Whoever shall, by word or- gesture, show 
his approval or disapproval of his partner's mode 
of play during the hand, or make any remark, or 
ask any question, not specially allowed by the 
Laws of Whist, shall forfeit one point, either to 
be added to the adversaries' score, or deducted 
from his own, at their option. 

34. If the dealer looks at the bottom card, he 
loses his deal. 



SHORT WHIST. 39 

35. Whoever loses his temper, and scolds, 
should be cut, and never come again. 

There are two, or perhaps three, clubs in 
London, where it is ruled, that whoever scores 
honours without having had them, forfeits the 
number scored : this is a rule that ought to 
become general. 

Having given the laws above, with which every 
one who plays ought to be acquainted, let us pro- 
ceed to lay down some of the principles of the 
game ; premising, that no written instructions can 
make a fine Whist-player. Common attention, 
however, to the effects of different leads, and of 
the ordinary combinations, if looked into, with 
the cards before you, will enable any one to cut 
in if requested, and to defend his money. 

The old discussion, whether Short Whist is to 
the advantage of the good or middling player, 
seems to be settled, like many others, by both 
retaining their own opinion. Matthews, the most 



40 SHORT WHIST. 

gentleman-like and best Whist-player of the 
Long school, in his Short Observations published 
upon the new game, as he calls it, has expressed 
his opinion that it was in favour of the middlings ; 
but to my certain knowledge he lived to change 
it, and to see how frequently indifferent play pre- 
vented saving a game ; for it is in playing bad 
cards to advantage that superior skill is most 
manifest. Another discussion, as to whether this 
game was to be played in a different manner from 
the old, still exists. You will constantly hear dog- 
matists say, " It is dangerous to finesse at Short 
" Whist." The good player knows that a finesse, 
to be a finesse, must be made a propos, which 
nothing but knowledge and quickness can teach. 
The point in dispute may be thus settled : — How 
would good players play at five -all in the old 
game ? They would play to make five to win the 
game, or three points to score eight for the 
advantage of calling : this is precisely the new 



SHORT WHIST. 41 

game — the attack and defence is therefore the 
same as at five-all. The introduction of Short 
Whist has, however, had the effect of improving 
Whist-players generally; scarcely a bungler now 
exists who does not know that five tricks with one 
honour save the game. Whereas, formerly, bad 
Whist -players were like travellers upon a straight 
French road, between a long vista, which seemed 
to have no end and no variety ; they played the 
same from one end of the game to the other, al- 
ways thinking of ten points : now they have learnt 
that a sudden turn on a rapid Macadamised turn- 
pike may bring its coup de grace; and they, as well 
as they can, look to the score, and play to points : 
it is, therefore, almost unnecessary to say, — 

L Never risk the fifth trick with a bad hand, 
but play out a winning card. 

2. Supposing you to have four tricks, your 
adversaries to have five tricks, and you have 
the lead with king, three of a suit, and one losing 



42 SHORT WHIST. 

card, of which you know your adversaries to 
have the best, lead the losing card, as your best 
chance of making your king is for the adversaries 
to lead that suit. 

3. The good player plays his partner's hand 
and his own, or twenty-six cards : the bad player 
his own thirteen only. Play a losing card rather 
than lead a weak fresh suit ; as it is probable, if 
the adversaries lead that suit, your partner may 
screw out a trick with even the third best of it, 
by becoming last player. 

4. The original lead will often effect the loss or 
saving of the game. With a bad hand, lead that 
suit which is least likely to injure your partner's 
hand. It is clear that, unless he holds an honour, 
and can make at least four tricks, the game is 
gone ; as you can make, perhaps, at most one. 
Do not, therefore, lead from four or five small 
cards ; rather lead out a king from king and two 
others. Queens and knaves are strengthening 



SHORT "WHIST. 43 

cards. Many players differ as to leading single 
cards when weak in trumps. It appears to me 
oftener to defeat than to gain its own object ; as, 
unless your partner holds the ace of the suit, or 
the king with the ace on his right, you inevitably 
sacrifice the king or a good card : you moreover 
run the risk of being defeated by your own 
partner ; as he, with other strong suits, will give 
you credit for strength instead of weakness in 
this, and lead trumps. 

It must, however, be admitted, that there is 
more probability your partner will have a good 
finesse, or some strength in the suits, of which 
you have only one or two, than in those of which 
you have five small ones. The knowledge of the 
following odds will help to guide the lead : — 

i. It is two to one that your partner does not 
hold a certain card. 

ii. It is nearly five to four that your partner 
holds one card out of any two. 



44 SHORT WHIST. 

iii. It is nearly three to one that he does not 
hold two cards out of any three. 

iv. It is about five to two that he holds one 
card out of three. 

v. It is about three to two that he does not 
hold two cards out of four. 

vi. It is about four to one that he holds one 
card out of any four. 

5. Suppose you to be leader, with knave, ten, 
nine, three, and two of clubs, five small trumps, 
one small diamond, and two small spades, lead 
the nine of clubs, as it is five to two in your 
favour that your partner holds an honour, you 
have the best chance of clearing your suit ; as, 
be it remembered, in clearing a suit, it is almost 
as necessary to take the command from your part- 
ner as from your adversaries. If, in this case, 
your partner has no honour, the nine will draw 
one, and two only remain against you : by this 
method of play you have, 1st, the advantage of 



SHORT WHIST. 45 

making your partner last player in your two 
weak suits ; 2dly, the best chance of a saw, as 
your partner may probably trump clubs, and you 
trump diamonds ; 3dly, if the adversary returns 
clubs, from disliking to open a fresh suit, you 
(having five trumps) may establish your suit. 
Upon the same principle, with a king, knave, 
and ten of a suit, lead the ten. 

6. The safest leads are from sequences. It is 
usual to lead the highest ; but it is also usual to 
lead the knave from king, queen, knave ; which is 
done with a view of getting the ace out of your 
partner's hand, if he has it, or of stealing a trick 
if the ace should lie on your left. The same 
is applicable to all circumstances. If you wish 
your partner to put on his best, lead the low- 
est of a sequence ; if you wish him to finesse, 
lead the highest. To your partners lead put on 
the lowest of a sequence and return the highest ; 
to your adversaries' lead put on the highest. 



46 SHORT WHIST. 

7. With king, queen, ten, in all suits, lead the 
king ; but if it passes, do not therefore conclude 
the ace to be in your partner's hand, as it is often 
kept up. You can change your lead, and wait 
for the return of the suit, when you will have the 
finesse of the ten at a critical point. 

8. With king, queen, five of a suit, always the 
king ; with four in trumps, lead the lowest ; in 
other suits the king, unless you have the only 
remaining trumps : in that case, you may lead 
the lowest. 

9. With king, knave, and two or more small 
cards, lead the lowest. Avoid leading from king, 
knave, and one small one. If forced to do so, 
and if the strength in that suit clearly is with 
your partner, lead the king and knave. 

10. With queen, knave, nine, and others, lead 
the queen; queen, knave, and one other, the 
queen ; queen, knave, with two others, the 
lowest ; queen with three small ones, the lowest. 



SHORT WHIST. 47 

11. The trump card, of course, will occasion 
some deviation from these rules. Leading the 
ten through knave or queen gives your partner 
the choice of a finesse. If you have ace or king, 
ten, nine, and others, lead the ten, through an 
honour ; if the knave or queen be put on, you 
have a finesse yourself, on the return of the suit, 
with the nine. 

12. With ace, king, knave, six trumps, play out 
the ace and king ; with ace, king, knave, five 
trumps, it is safer to play the king, and wait for 
the finesse, unless you have in other respects a 
decidedly commanding hand. In other suits, 
without great strength in trumps, or with the 
hope of establishing the suit, do not wait for the 
finesse. With ace, king, and two or three small 
trumps, lead a small one : as the knave may win 
in your partner's hand, the game is not to be 
won unless he hold an honour, and keeping 
back the ace and king of trumps makes you 



48 SHORT WHIST. 

strong ; should, however, three rounds of trumps 
be requisite to hinder a cross ruff play, the king, 
the ace, and then a small one. 

13. With ace, king, live, lead the king in all 
suits, not trumps, unless the remaining trumps 
are with you ; and if three tricks in the suit are 
necessary, then lead a small one. 

14. With ace, queen, knave, and others, in all 
suits, the ace ; ace, queen, ten, and two others, in 
trumps, a small one ; but in other suits the ace, 
unless strong in trumps. It is so common to 
find middling players who will never lead from 
ace, queen, that it is necessary here to observe 
that many games are lost by this habit. It is 
often better to lead from ace, queen, than to 
open a weak suit. 

15. With ace, knave, and three small ones, lead 
the lowest in trumps ; in other suits the ace, un- 
less strong enough in trumps to have a hope of 
establishing the suit. 



SHORT WHIST. 49 j 

1 6. With ace and four small cards, in trumps, 
lead the lowest ; in other suits, the ace, except 
when strong in trumps. 

17. With ace and one other, it is usual to lead 
the ace ; it is good play, however, to lead the j 
small one, if you have reason to think your 
partner weak in the suit. 

The above outline of the leading leads, and 
the motives for them, will enable any reflecting 
person to adapt his play to the inrinite varieties 
of Whist. We will now proceed with some 
further instructions, that may be useful to players 
of every grade. 



50 



SHORT WHIST. 



PECULIARITIES OF SHORT WHIST. 

The leader is usually supposed to have the 
advantage in playing for the odd trick ; it de- 
pends, however, entirely upon the nature of his 
hand : in most cases the dealer, as last player, 
has the advantage, in this as in every other 
score. 

There is a possibility of making eleven points 
upon the cards, namely, seven by tricks and four 
by honours ; as it is never requisite to make more 
than five at Short Whist, a trick or two may be 
often passed with advantage, in order to make 
sure of the game ; consequently, — 

1. With five trumps, and a good suit, refuse to be 
forced, which intimates the strength of your hand 
to your partner, and perhaps will enable you to 
make three tricks instead of one. No good player 



SHORT WHIST. 51 

will play for more than the game, unless indeed to 
show off to the gallery : opportunities of making 
brilliant strokes, and astonishing the natives, 
occur so seldom, that it requires some forbearance 
to refrain from attempting them, to your own 
disadvantage. 

2. Under-play is also more frequently allowable 

at Short Whist ; that is to say, keeping up a best j 
card, and permitting the adversaries to make a 
trick or two, either in trumps or in a long suit, in 
order to secure the rest yourself. 

3. Middling players must, however, be cautious 
of attempting to run before they can walk ; they 
must recollect, on the one hand, that the ace of 
trumps played out can make but one trick, and j 
draw three other cards ; kept back, it may protect 

a small one. On the other hand, that there are 
thirteen cards to a suit only, consequently they 
must judge from the number, say five or six, in 
their own hands, and the adversaries' play (as 

d 2 



52 SHORT WHIST. 

leading from sequences or not), whether the suit 
is divided so as to make it probable that the cards 
desired will fall to the ace. The state of the 
score is the surest guide, as a certain odd trick is 
infinitely preferable to making two by any risk, 
when the two are not wanted. 

4. Deep finessing in trumps, or in a good suit 
when strong in trumps, has also often great effect : 
thus, suppose you have ace, ten, two other hearts 
\ (trumps), and king, knave, or even king ten, or 
ace knave, or ace ten, with three other clubs ; 
should your partner lead clubs, finesse the knave, 
or ten (as he has, perhaps, led from a single card) ; 
your left-hand adversary, supposing 3^011 to be 
weak in the suit, will probably return it ; your 
partner then trumps ; or if your partner has two 
clubs, you either gain the lead, on the second 
round with the ace, or get rid of the ace, and 
establish your king, to a certainty. This method 
tends to mitigate the danger of leading from a 



SHORT WHIST. 53 

single card, when weak in trumps, as, supposing 
trumps to be immediately led, you are still strong 
in the suit the adversaries mutually conceive 
they have. 

5. The game is against the above-named 
eleven cards, as there may be two by honours, 
and three by cards made by the adversaries ; still 
the finesse recommended is the most probable 
method to make the five tricks requisite to save 
the game ; for if your partner has a very bad 
hand, and if the king of your only good suit is 
lost, you are then at the opponents' mercy : on 
the other hand, should your partner hold one 
honour, and some strengthening cards, queens or 
knaves, in the other suits, you having also a king 
guarded, or an ace among your remaining four 
cards, may, by establishing your five- card suit, 
make the odd trick ; a plus forte raison, having 
ace, queen, two other trumps, and ace, queen, 
nine, and another of a suit led by your partner, 



5* SHORT WHIST. 

put on the nine, which induces the adversary 
either to lead trumps or to return the suit. 

6. Strength in trumps can alone justify deep 
finessing in other suits ; but as at Short Whist 
J scarcely a hand is played in which the game may 
not either be saved or won, there is (contrary to 
| the received opinion) more scope for finessing 
judiciously than in the old game. 



MAXIMS FOR BEGINNERS. 

Recollect that maxims can only be laid down 
generally ; that it is necessary to alter and modify 
them according to the many changes which arise, 
and sometimes to desert them, and adopt a dif- 
ferent mode of play altogether. The distinction 
between a good player and a fine player is, that 
the former knows the different leads and common 
finesses, and plays his cards correctly, so as 



SHORT WHIST. 



55 



never to deceive his partner : he observes the 
rules and maxims generally; the fine player sees 
at a glance when it is necessary to disregard all 
maxims, and, by adapting his play to circum- 
stances, make an effort, which, if successful, may 
save or win the game. Thousands sit down to play 
Whist, and millions of pounds are made to change 
hands yearly by its powers of transfer ; nine per- 
sons out of ten, however, would lock their doors 
if they sat down to study the principles of the 
game (which cannot be done effectually without 
the cards before them), from a dread of being 
caught, as if they were ashamed of being seen 
to learn what they are not ashamed of being 
seen to practise : this gives professors a decided 
advantage. We learn to ride, to shoot, to play 
billiards, to fence, to box ; we study the elements 
of other amusements, chess for instance ; why 
should we then expect to find a royal road to the 
acquirement of Whist? 



56 SHORT WHIST, 

Playing Whist at a regular and moderate stake 
cannot fairly be termed gaming; many have, 
nevertheless, injured their fortunes by it, parti- 
cularly at their outset in life, by playing high 
stakes too soon — by attempting to practise before 
acquiring a competent knowledge of the theory. 
As a relaxation, games of skill are a happy in- 
vention ; like all other things, if followed to excess, 
they are pernicious. So necessary, however, is 
occupation to mankind, that more toil is fre- 
quently submitted to for amusement than is un- 
dergone in business. How many will sit at 
Whist all night, playing shilling or half-crown 
points ; it is a fascinating and interesting game, 
but, as I can testify from woful experience, 
nothing is more prejudicial to health than these 
long sittings. I attribute shattered nerves and 
general debility to the morning club and the 
evening rubber : I was obliged to discontinue the 
amusement; and, after consulting half the medical 



SHORT WHIST. 57 

men in London, I must, in candour, mention 
here, that a country excursion, the use of the 
shower-bath, exercise, temperance, and no 
physic, set me on my legs again, has stimulated 
me to, and enabled me also to undergo the 
fatigue of, writing these pages, which will, I 
hope, be serviceable as a warning to youth 
against play, and to debility, or premature 
decay, as pointing out a means of relief. — But 
to Whist. 

Never lead a card without a reason — a bad 
reason is better than playing at random without 
any at all. Avoid forming a method or system 
upon observation of one or few results, as bad 
play may in one or two instances succeed, when 
good would not. Before you play sort your hand 
carefully ; look at the trump card, and consider 
the scores, the strength of your own hand, and 
probable strength of your partner's; also the 



58 SHORT WHIST. 

situation of the cards according to calculation, 
subject, however, to any changes that may be 
indicated in the course of play ; after which, keep 
your eye on the board instead of poring over your 
own hand : without strict attention to the fall of 
the cards, no maxims, or even practice, can make 
a tolerable Whist-player. 

Pondering over the cards, and drawing out first 
one and then another, is a great disadvantage to 
the player, and very tiresome both to his partner 
and opponent. 

Be cautious not to deceive your partner in his 
or your own leads, or when he is likely to have 
the lead — a concealed game often succeeds in 
the suits of your adversaries ; but this should not 
be attempted before having made considerable 
proficiency, and, if too frequently resorted to, 
will destroy its own effect. 

At the commencement of a game, a good hand 
is entitled to play a bold game ; or, if the adver- 



SHORT WHIST. 59 

saries are considerably advanced in the score, a 
middling hand should be so played as to strengthen 
the partners, as it is evident the game must be lost, 
if he is weak also ; lead, therefore, boldly, kings, 
queens, knaves, from three of a suit, or the highest 
trump you have ; if the scores are equal, (two or 
three all, for instance,) play more cautiously. 

Be as careful of what you throw away as of 
what you lead ; it is frequently of consequence 
to put down even a tray with a deuce in your 
hand. 

Your partner leads a four; your right-hand 
adversary plays a five ; if you put down a tray, 
it ought to be certain that you have no more of 
the suit ; but if the deuce make its appearance 
afterwards, it will destroy all confidence in your 
play, and you will be justly set down for a spoon. 
These minor qualifications of Whist-playing are 
attainable by every body ; and when once the 
great advantage of this kind of correctness is seen, 



60 



SHORT WHIST. 



the worst player will practise it as constantly as 
the best; common attention being all that is 
requisite. 

With two cards only of a suit, leading the 
highest, and playing the lowest afterwards, shows 
your partner that you have no more, and that 
you have led for a ruff. 

Do not lead trumps merely because an honour 
is turned up on your left, or be deterred from it 
if on your right hand ; either is proper if circum- 
stances require trumps to be led. 

Finessing is generally advantageous in trumps, 
or in the other suits when strong in trumps, as 
tending to promote the desirable object of esta- 
blishing the long trump and the long suit. 

Never trump an uncertain card if strong, or omit 
to do so if weak in trumps, even if you know 
the best of the suit to be in your partner's hand. 
The advantages are making a useless trump, inti- 
mating the state of your hand to your partner, and 



SHORT WHIST. 61 

of keeping the command (perhaps of the adver- 
saries' only suit) in your partner's hand. Keep the 
command of your adversaries' suit as long as you 
possibly can, but never that of your partner. 

Do not trump a thirteenth card second hand if 
strong, but always if weak in trumps. 

Always force the strong hand, seldom the 
weak : never both, otherwise you give one of the 
adversaries an opportunity to make his small 
trumps while the other throws away his losing 
cards: the extent of this error is seldom com- 
prehended by unskilful players, who, seeing the 
good effect of judicious forces, misapply them to 
their own disadvantage. 

The effect of a force may be exemplified by 
the following extreme case i — 

A has six minor trumps' and a septieme major 
in another suit with the lead ; B, his adversary, 
has a seixieme major in trumps, a quart major, 
and a tierce major of the other suits : if A, rely- 



62 SHORT WHIST. 

ing upon his six trumps, lead a trump (and many 
say with six trumps always lead one) he loses 
every trick ; if, on the contrary, he forces B once, 
he inevitably gains the odd trick ; the same prin- 
ciple operates through every combination of the 
fifty-two cards : a conviction of it is one of the 
first necessary steps towards an insight into the 
game ; and although so great an effect may be 
seldom produced, there is scarcely a rubber 
played wherein the soundness of the principle of 
forcing is not experimentally proved. 

When with a very strong suit you lead trumps, 
hoping your partner may command them, show 
your suit first: if a strength in trumps is in 
your own hand, play them without showing 
your suit. 

With the ace and three other trumps it is 
seldom right to win the first and second lead, if 
made in them by the adversaries, unless your 
partner ruffs a suit. 



SHORT WHIST. 63 

With strength in trumps, more particularly if 
having a long suit, avoid ruffing your right-hand 
adversary's leads. This maxim is less practised, 
but more necessary, than almost any other, and 
may be exemplified as follows : — 

The cards being nearly equal, the object of the 
good Whist-player is to establish a long suit ; 
to keep the long trump to bring it in_, and to 
frustrate the same plan of his adversaries. With 
an honour (or even the ten), and three other 
trumps, you may by good management succeed. 
Do not overtrump your right-hand adversary 
early, but throw away a losing card ; one trump 
being thus gone strengthens your hand; and 
your partner, as last player, has that advantage in 
whatever suit is led. Whereas, had you over- 
trumped, you would have given up the whole 
chance of the game to secure one trick : but this, 
like all rules, is not without exceptions ; namely, 
if your left-hand adversary has shown a great 



64 



SHORT WHIST. 



superiority in trumps, then make whatever tricks 
you can. If your partner (a good player) means 
obviously to force you, of which you may judge 
by his playing a winning or losing card of the 
suit to be trumped : if the former, he may not 
intend to force you ; if the latter, you may give 
him credit for strength in trumps to protect 
your long suit. In short, it is bad to play for a 
great game with a weak hand, or a weak game 
with a strong hand, when the state of the scores 
requires the reverse. 

If circumstances make two leads in trumps 
requisite, play the ace, let your other trumps be 
what they may, 

It is an old dogma not to force your partner 
unless strong in trumps yourself ; there are, how- 
ever, many exceptions to this rule. 

If your partner leads with a view to be forced, 
or from a single card. 



SHORT WHIST. 



65 



If great strength in trumps appears to be 
against you. 

If there is a probability of a saw. 

If your partner has been already forced, and 
did not lead trumps. 

If you are playing for an odd trick only. 

It is a nice point to know when to lead trumps. 
The following observations will assist beginners 
in reasoning upon this essential part of the 
game : — 

With six trumps, if you have, or suppose your 
partner to have, a strong suit. 

If strong in other suits, but weak in trumps, 
particularly having a knave or ten to lead in. 

If your adversaries show weakness in the other 
suits. 

If your adversaries are at the point of three, 
and you have no honour, or probability of a 
ruff. 

It must, however, be borne in mind, that lead- 



66 



SHORT WHIST. 



ing a weak trump destroys the tenace in them, 
and often sacrifices your partner's trumps ; the 
ulterior object in other suits must, therefore, 
be the guide. 

When an adversary refuses to trump, and 
throws away a small card, it indicates that his 
hand consists of a strong suit in trumps; one 
strong, and another weaker suit: if he throws 
away a high card, it shows that he has two suits 
only, one of which is trumps. In these cases 
avoid leading trumps, or his suit, force him^ 
and give your partner an opportunity to trump 
and over-trump. It is a common fault with bad 
players to lead trumps the moment an adversary 
refuses to ruff, which is playing his game, and 
is likely to give away many tricks, which forcing 
him would have saved. 

If strong in trumps, and the right-hand ad- 
versary leads a suit of which you have ace, king, 
and two others, you may either put on the ace, 



SHORT WHIST. 67 

and continue the same suit, in order to force 
your partner, or put on a small one, in the hope 
of your partner's winning the first trick in the 
suit. This is not allowable if weak in trumps. | 
If you win your partners lead with the queen, 
it is not judicious to return it except in trumps. ! 

It is bad to lead from three cards, unless in 
sequence. When obliged to do so, particularly 
if you have reason to think your partner strong 
in the suit, lead the highest, though it be the 
king or queen. 

The first object is to save the game, the se- 
cond, to win it ; and hazardous play is justifiable, 
with reasonable prospect of obtaining either j 
of these ends. If neither is in question, play to 
the scores ; that is to say, do not give up the j 
certainty of an odd trick, or of scoring three for j 
the chance of making two or four. An equal 
finesse may be risked, that will (if it succeeds) 
prevent the adversaries from these scores. 

E 2 



68 



SHORT WHIST. 



It is essential to return your partner's lead in 
trumps; you may, however, judge of the propriety 
of doing so, according to your own hand, if the 
trump he led is an equivocal card, a nine or a ten 
(for instance), which are led with propriety, 
both from strong and from weak suits, — the nine 
may be led from a quint to a king, or from king, 
knave, ten, nine. It is also led when it is the 
best of one or two others. 

With four trumps only, do not lead them until 
your strong suit is established, as that number 
is not sufficient to bring in a suit of which you 
have not the command : the same position of 
cards will demonstrate the advantage of leading 
a small card from ace, king, five of a suit; for 
without the long trump you will be foiled in the 
suit for which you have led trumps, if either ad- 
versary have the queen, guarded of it. It is 
good play, however, with a tierce major in trumps, 



SHORT WHIST. 69 

to lead trumps twice before you lead your suit 
to clear it. 

If you remain with the best trump, and one 
of the adversaries has the others, do not play it 
out> as it may stop a long suit of the other ad- 
versary, and prevent his getting the lead again 
If both adversaries have trumps, and your part- 
ner none, it is generally right to take two for one, 

If there should be four trumps remaining, of 
which you have two, the second best and a small 
one, and a suit is led in which you will be over- 
ruffed, trump with your best, and lead a small 
one? for the purpose of taking the best chance 
of making your own trump, and of falling the 
two others together if in your adversaries' hands. 

If strong in trumps, and having the command- 
ing card of the adversaries' suit, of which you 
find your partner has none, lead small ones to 
force him, and keep the commanding card back. 

If your partner leads the ace and queen of a 



70 SHORT WHIST. 

suit, of which you have king and two others, 
win his queen, in order that you may not stop 
his suit. 

When your right-hand adversary wins, and 
returns his partner's lead, particularly in trumps, 
if you have the best and a small one, play the 
small one, as your left-hand adversary will pro- 
bably finesse, and allow your partner to make 
the third best. 

Be careful to show your partner that you 
command in trumps ; he will then keep his own 
strong suit entire, instead of guarding the ad- 
versaries' suit, as he ought to do when the 
strength in trumps is with them. 

If your partner lead a trump, and you have 
ace, knave, and another, you should be guided 
by the object of getting two rounds of trumps, 
whether to put on the ace, or to finesse the 
knave. If he leads the ten, it should certainly 



SHOET WHIST. 71 

be passed, unless at a point when the risking 
one trick would be dangerous. 

The lead from ace nine is safer than from ace 
ten, as the tenace is more probable in the latter, 
when the suit is led by the adversary. 

Throwing a best card to a partner's winning 
card indicates that the best cards of that suit 
are behind ; throwing a second-best card indi- 
cates having no more of the suit. 

It is always right to inform your partner if 
you are strong in trumps ; to do this, if fourth 
player win with the highest of a sequence, and 
, ! lead the lowest. 

If strong in trumps do not ruff the second-best 
of a suit led by your partner, as it opens his 
suit ; rather throw away a losing card, except 
when you have a saw. 

If ten cards are played, and one suit only re- 
mains, should your partner lead, and you have 
king, ten, and another, you can make one trick 



72 SHORT WHIST. 

to a certainty. Thus : — If an honour is put on 
by the right-hand adversary, cover it with the 
king; if not, put on the ten. Wanting two 
tricks, you should put on the king. 

If the fourth player wins a trick, it is fre- 
quently better to return that suit than to open a 
fresh one, in which he is weak. 

With ace, knave, and another of a suit, when 
the king is led, you can paSs it, frequently to 
great advantage. 

With ace, queen of a suit, should the knave 
be led on your right, put on the ace invariably, 
as the king cannot be behind you. 

With only three of a suit, put an honour upon 
an honour, with four or more not, unless you 
have the ten. 

With king and one more, it is sometimes good 
play to put it on, and sometimes not ; a previous 
determination, however, which to do prevents 
hesitation, that betrays the hand. In trumps 



SHORT WHIST. 73 

generally, but if turned up, the king should be 
invariably put on. 

If the only remaining trumps are between you 
and your partner, and you have no winning card, 
lead a small trump, in order to give your partner 
the lead. 

Nothing teaches the importance of leads 
sooner than playing dummy strictly. 

It is often of great advantage to win the ad- 
versaries' leads, with the highest of a sequence, 
as it keeps them in the dark as to where the 
others are. 

A thirteenth card is usually led with a view 
to the partner's putting on a high trump, in order 
to make trumps separately. 

Return the highest, having only three cards of 
your partner's lead ; it gives him the finesse, and 
shows you are weak in the suit. 

If you have ace, ten, and a small card of a 
suit, of which your partner leads the nine, pass 



74 SHORT WHIST. 

it, although the finesse is against three cards ; 
for if your partner has an honour you make two 
tricks ; if not, you can make no more than the 
ace by any mode of play. 

With king, queen, or queen, knave, and only 
one other card of the suit, always play one of the 
honours second hand. 

Having the remaining trumps, some winning 
cards, and one losing card, play that first, as 
your partner may thereby make the second best, 
which he could not do if kept till the last. 

When your partner refuses to trump a win- 
ning card, lead trumps as soon as you can, and 
the best trump in your hand, having two or 
three only. 

When the queen is led on your right, (presum- 
ing it to be from the usual queen, knave, nine,) 
and you have ace, or king, ten, and a small one, 
by passing the queen you have the tenace ; and 

| 



SHORT WHIST. 75 

should your partner hold either ace or king, must 
make three tricks in the suit. 

When your partner has evidently a weak hand, 
by playing an obscure game tricks are frequently 
made. When your partner has a good hand, 
play as clear a game as possible. 

It is, although contrary to usual practice, 
equally advantageous to lead up to, as through 
an ace turned up ; not so much so up to a king, 
and disadvantageous up to queen or knave. 

Having ace, king, and two more trumps, insure 
three rounds if your partner leads them ori- 
ginally ; but if he leads a nine, or an equivocal 
card, in consequence of supposing you strong, 
pass it ; by which you will have the lead after 
the third round of trumps. 

With ace, queen, ten of the right-hand lead, 
put on the queen, as you still keep the ten ace. 

When the left-hand adversary refuses to 
trump a winning card, from fear of being over- 



76 SHORT WHIST. 

trumped, and throws away a losing card, if you 
have the best of the suit he discards, play it 
before you lead the other suit again. The com- 
manding card of the adversaries' suit is as 
valuable as a trump when the trumps are out. 

If the right-hand adversary leads, and his 
partner putting on the knave or queen, your 
partner wins with the king, when the right- 
hand leads a small card of that suit again, put on 
the ten if you have it ; as it is probable you 
will keep the ace in your partner's hand by 
doing so. 

If weak in trumps, keep guards on your ad- 
versaries' suits ; if strong, throw away from 
them : in all cases, discard from your partner's 
strong suits. 

Should the left-hand adversary lead a king, 
and stop, to show he wishes to finesse the knave, 
if you have queen and another, it is clear his 
finesse must succeed. By playing a small one 



SHORT WHIST. 77 

yourself, when you get the lead, you will fre- 
quently deter him from making his intended 
finesse. 

Force your partner, when he shows a weak 
game. 

It is indispensable to stop a long suit by 
putting on the best trump, when single, at once, 
in order to prevent throwing away losing cards, 
if that long suit be suffered to continue. Bad 
players have an aversion to do this ; they also 
put it on when having others, merely from fear 
of being over-ruffed. This is the contrary ex- 
treme, and judgment is requisite to avoid it. 

When your partner has shown a strong suit, 
and has a renounce in another suit, if you have a 
single card of his strong suit, play it before you 
force him ; as it is the way either to establish a 
saw, which is usually advantageous, or it induces 
the second player to put on the ace if he has it, 
and thereby clear your partner's suit. 



78 SHORT WHIST. 

Having ace, knave, ten, and a small card of a 
suit led by the right-Land adversary, put on the 
ten, if in trumps ; if in other suits, a small one ; 
because from king, queen, and two trumps, a 
small one ought to be led ; from other suits, the 
king : consequently, in the latter case, if the king 
is not led, it must be over you, and playing your 
ten can be of no use. On the contrary, it gives 
away a strong game in the suit. 

With a losing trump, and ace, queen, or any 
other tenace, when only three cards remain, play 
the losing trump, in order to have your tenace 
led to. 

It is frequently necessary to deceive the ad- 
versary, and to throw down a high card, to in- 
duce him to change his lead ; but this must be 
done without hesitation, and not too frequently. 

There is a great distinction to be made be- 
tween original and forced leads, which beginners 
do not sufficiently consider. When a partner 



SHORT WHIST. 79 

changes his lead on account of some fall of the 
cards, this forced lead is to be treated as if it were 
the adversaries' or your own lead, and the tenace 
and commanding card kept in it, if possible ; nor 
is it to be returned like an original lead. 

There is nothing more necessary to be 
thoroughly comprehended than under-play, as it 
is a constant and successful manoeuvre practised 
by the experienced against the inexperienced 
players. It consists in keeping back the best 
card, and playing a low one, particularly when 
returning the left-hand adversary's leads : it is 
then done with a view to your partner making 
the third best if he has it, while you still retain 
the commanding card. To exemplify : — Suppose 
the fourth player to have ace, king, and small 
ones, of his left-hand adversary's lead ; if he wins 
with the ace, and returns a small one, his part- 
ner will make the third best, unless the second 
j and third are both against him. It is evident 



80 SHORT WHIST. 

from this, if you lead from the king, and your 
right-hand adversary after winning with the 
ten or knave return your lead, that the best 
chance to make your king is to put it on. 

Remaining with the first, third, and fourth cards 
of a suit, of which you suppose the left-hand 
adversary to have the second guarded, by playing 
the lowest it is usually passed, and you make 
every trick. 

If you have the second, third, and other cards, 
as, for example, king, knave, and others, against 
ace, queen, and one other only remaining, lead 
the king ; as if the queen is single, you draw the 
ace at the same time, and make every other trick : 
this is a stroke seldom comprehended by mid- 
dling players. 

Under -play, as described, is seldom resorted 
to with advantage, except in trumps, or when 
strong in them, in the other suits, 

The trump card should be kept as long as 



SHORT WHIST. 81 

possible for the information of your partner, when 
he leads trumps ; but the reverse, when the ad- 
versaries lead them. 

Though tenace at Whist cannot be reduced to 
a certainty as at piquet, still no one can become 
a Whist-player who does not thoroughly compre- 
hend it : the principle is simple, but the com- 
binations are various. Every one knows that ace, 
queen, form tenace ; and beginners usually wait 
to finesse their queens, right or wrong, but omit 
to do so with other cards, and seem to forget 
that tenace may be established by any com- 
bination of cards, and is as available with a five 
and seven against the four and six, as with ace 
and queen against king, knave. Tenace is in- 
sured by being played up to, or becoming last 
player. 

Example : — A, the leader, has four cards left; 
viz. the second and fourth trump, and the ace, 
and the five of clubs. B, the left-hand adversary, 



82 SHORT WHIST. 

has the first and third trumps, and the king and 
the six of clubs. The ace of clubs being led by 
A, the king should be put down to it by B. A 
will then probably lead trumps ; if so, B inevit- 
ably makes three tricks : by keeping the king of 
clubs he cannot possibly make more than two. 

A has king, queen, ten of a suit, B ace, knave, 
and another. A, leading the king, if B wins it 
with the ace he makes but one trick, by giving 
the king and thus preserving the tenace, he 
makes two. 

Having ace, knave, ten, of a partner's forced 
lead, or of the last cards, play the ten : this will, 
probably, gain two tricks upon the suit being 
returned. 

Tenace is more easily kept against the right- 
hand than against the left-hand adversary ; the 
latter, in fact, requires great skill. 

The state of the scores is the sole criterion 
by which to decide upon the propriety or im- 



V 
\ 



SHORT WHIST. 83 

propriety of a finesse, or of giving one trick for 
the chance of making two, by preserving the 
tenace ; at the score of three against one point it 
is highly proper to run some risk to make two by 
cards in order to win the game ; as the loss of 
the odd trick, by so doing, would be of little mo* 
ment. Suppose, then, A, with six tricks turned and 
three cards left in his hand, viz. a losing trump, 
and tenace of another suit likely to be trumped 
by one of the adversaries, should play the losing 
trump as if the trumps are not divided, and his 
tenace successful, he cannot make two tricks. 

At the score of two-love, A has four cards 
left, viz. two losing trumps and two thirteenth 
cards, with six tricks turned, there being two 
superior trumps against him. He is to lead a 
trump for the chance of two trumps being di- 
vided, as, if so, he. makes three tricks^ and the 
game ; at any other score he should secure the 
odd trick by forcing the adversary. 



p 2 



84 SHORT WHIST. 

The following stroke at Whist (which, con- 
sidering that cards are unseen, and their positions 
only presumed, equals a masterly move at chess,) 
is recorded as showing what first-rate play can 
do,— the score was four all. A, with six tricks 
turned, remained with ten, seven of trumps and 
two hearts, and led a heart, B, the left-hand 
adversary, had knave and eight of trumps and 
two clubs. C, A's partner, had two small trumps 
and two hearts, D, the last player, had the 
king and a small trump, a club and a diamond. 
D, seeing it was necessary to win every trick, 
and that there was no chance of doing so unless 
his partner had either the two best trumps or 
a successful finesse in them, trumped A's lead of 
hearts with the best trump, the king ; returned 
the small one, and thereby won a most critical 
game. 

In order to establish a long suit with four 
trumps only, under-play is requisite. A has ace, 



SHORT WHIST. 85 

four trumps, tierce major, six hearts, king and an- 
other club, and one good diamond; he should 
lead a trump, and if his partner wins and returns 
it, keep up the ace. When A or his partner get 
the lead again, they of course play trump, which 
leaves him with the lead and one trump, not 
however, the best, if they were unequally divided. 
His strong suit forces out this best trump, but is 
again established by his small one : had A, on 
the contrary, put on the ace, he would have been 
forced, and his strong suit rendered unavailable. 
With a similar hand, having ace, king, and two 
small trumps, if the adversaries lead trumps give 
them the first trick, although last player : nothing 
but five or six trumps in one hand can thus 
prevent the long suit being established. 

With ace, queen, and two small trumps, if the 
knave is led on the left, do not win it, upon the 
same principle. 

Every one with ace, king, knave of a suit, if 



86 SHOKT WHIST. 

the queen is turned on the right, will lead the 
king, and wait; the same principle attaches to 
the whole of the cards. If, therefore, you have 
ace, queen, ten, and the knave is turned up, lead 
the queen. 

Having six trumps originally, it often happens 
that you have three or four trumps left, and that 
the best is with your adversaries ; if so, play one, 
as that best trump may stop your partner's or your 
suit; besides, either you or your partner be- 
come last player, and gain the tenace in any 
other suit that is led. This also demonstrates 
that it is impolitic to play out the best trump, 
when several others are against you. 

If A remains with the best trump (the knave) 
and one small trump, and nothing but losing 
cards, his partner B having the second-best 
trump, the ten and winning cards, with one other 
trump in the adversaries' hands, A, when forced, 
should trump with the knave, and lead the small 



SHORT WHIST. 87 

one, in order to give his partner the lead to 
make his winning cards. 

There is much difference of opinion, even 
among good players, as to the advantage of lead- 
ing single cards ; the state of the scores, and the 
chance of winning or saving the game, ought 
to be the guide in this as in all other leads. 
Having before remarked upon this point, it is 
necessary only to add here, that with the ten- 
ace, or probability of it in other suits, it is then 
better to lead the single card, although weak in 
trumps. 

The player who can recollect the cards played 
with exactness has a decided advantage. Few, 
however, do so. Those who cannot arrive at 
such perfection must, in order to play Whist at 
all, remember, at least, the trumps, and the best 
cards of his own suits : in order to accomplish 
this, every one should contrive a system of Whist 
mnemonics for themselves, as most likely to 



I 88 SHORT WHIST. 

become habitual, or learn one suggested by an- 
other. Some recommend sorting the hands in 
a particular manner, and altering the position 
of the cards as the suits are played ; this method 
falls at a pinch, namely, when you have no 
more of a suit left, and are consequently called 
upon to trump or not. 

The greatest assistance to memory is the habit 
of counting your hand by suits as you take it 
up. When at a loss you can then revert to 
the original number dealt to you of each suit, 
and thereby at least make out the number of 
rounds. 

The two terms, tenace and finesse, although 
universally used at Whist, are not so generally 
understood; a definition of them is therefore 
necessary. Tenace is having the cards in a 
position to gain the most tricks ; and finesse is 
the art of attaining that position. 

Both are thus exemplified : — A leads the ten 



SHORT WHIST. 89 

of a suit ; B, his partner, having ace, knave, and 
a small one, passes or finesses the ten, although 
he knows the king to be on his left, in order to 
have the tenaee with his ace, knave, when the 
suit is returned, and to insure two tricks in it ; if 
he puts on his ace, he can make but one. The 
same principle attacnes to the whole cards ; and 
memory and observation are requisite to apply it 
to the low cards when the high are out. 

Having said as much as will smooth the way 
for the beginner, and induce him to think and 
observe, without which it is impossible to play 
Whist, I take my leave, merely adding, that it is 
absurd (unless determined never to play) not to 
endeavour to arrive at some skill in an amuse- 
ment so universally prevalent, and in which the 
calls of society frequently require us to join. 
Even in the family circle it is useful : age often 
feels complacent towards youth for affording an 
hour's innocent amusement, particularly if wil- 



90 SHORT "WHIST. 

lingness and some skill are shown ; and both in 
town and country, to make up the rubber, is 
well known to be a qualification. 

Wishing all Whist-players good cards, and 
above all, good humour, I here make my bow to 
the critics — and beg, as it is not unusual with 
them, and in order fully to appreciate this pro- 
found treatise, that they will first observe the 
little allegory facing the title-page, and then 
regard only 

THE END. 



91 

CONNUBIAL CONVERSATION. 

The Major writing, and Mrs. ^4***** knitting. 

Major {jumping up). 'T is done, my work is 
finished ; I have made my end with a flourish. 
Congratulate me, my dear ! 

Mrs. A. Well, so I do, and myself too; for 
now you will talk a little, perhaps. How is the 
weather ? my dear ! 

Major. If you talk about nothing but that, 
I 'm off to the Club, my dear ! 

Mrs. A. Isn't that the way conversation be- 
gins ? Hang those nasty Clubs ! tiresome retreats 
of " hong-wlii," as Lady Julia calls them : I wish 
they were all burnt, my dear ! 

Major. To burn all the clubs would set half 
the diamonds crying, my dear 1 



92 CONNUBIAL CONVERSATION. 

Mrs. A. Major, you want to provoke me : 
you know well enough I don't mean them clubs, 
— I mean the Cocoa-tree, where you staid till five 
this morning, my dear I and what has diamonds 
to do with it? 

Major. They, my dear ! are the bright eyes 
that would weep the loss of places where hus- 
bands are daily deposited out of the way. 

Mrs. A. Psha ! No such thing ! You know I 
can't understand your jeu de mots ; and Lady 
Julia told you the other day, that Doctor John- 
son said, a man who made a pun 

Major. Would be a bad lexicographer. 

Mrs. A. He was no such thing ; he wrote 
the Dictionary ; and, moreover, was a pious, 
learned man, that never touched a card, my 
dear ! 

Major. He stuck to his club like wax, for all 
that, my dear ! 

Mrs. A. Well, thank my stars, 1 know no- 



CONNUBIAL CONVERSATION. 93 

thing about him ; but, Major, my dear ! have you 
said any thing in your book about my game, 
Loo ? 

Major. Loo ! Pooh ! What can be written about 
that ? But stop, my dear ! — a sudden thought 
strikes me : I am really obliged to you ; it would 
make my little work more useful to give the laws 
of Piquet. 

Mrs. A. And Cassino — 't is so genteel, my 
dear ! 

Major. And of Cribbage. 

Mrs. A. That is rather low, my dear ! 

Major. And of Ecarte — and Backgammon 
— give me my pen — here goes ! 

Mrs. A. Then 1 11 go and call on Lady Julia, 
my dear ! — Tiresome brute ! (Aside) and exit. 



94 



LAWS OF PIQUET- 

1. In cutting for deal the lowest deals, the ace 
is highest, 

2. Hie elder hand must lay out at least one 
card. 

3. If the elder hand take one of his adversa- 
ries' cards, he loses the game. 

4. If the elder hand turn up a card belonging 
to the younger hand, he is to reckon nothing that 
deal. 

5. He who plays with thirteen cards reckons 
nothing. 

6. If thirteen cards are dealt to either player, 
the elder hand has the choice of a fresh deal or 
not ; but if he stands the deal, he must leave 
three cards in the stock. More than thirteen 
cards dealt to either must be dealt over again. 



LAWS OF PIQUET. 95 

7. If either reckon what he has not, he scores 
nothing. 

8. If either once touch the stock, he cannot 
alter his discard. 

9. If any card be faced, except the bottom 
card, there must be a new deal. 

10. If a card be turned up in dealing, it is at 
the option of the elder to have a new deal. 

11. If the younger hand take in four cards, he 
loses the game, unless a card has been left by the 
elder, 

12. If the elder, showing point and a quart, 
should reckon the point only, he is not entitled 
to reckon the quart after he has played. 

13. Although the elder should forget to reckon 
what he has showed, the younger cannot reckon 
any thing even of equal value, 

14. Carte blanche takes precedence of all 
scores, consequently saves piques and repiques, 



96 LAWS OF PIQUET. 

and goes towards piqueing or repiqueing the 
adversary. 

15. In case of having carte blanche, the elder 
bids the younger to discard for carte blanche, 
and then counts his hand, face upwards, one 
card after the other ; the younger asks the elder 
if he has discarded, which done, he shows his 
blanche in the same way. 

16. Two cards at least must be cut for deal. 

17. If the elder, after calling, omits showing 
his point, the younger may show and reckon his 
point. 

18. No penalty attends playing with eleven 
cards ; he who plays with more than twelve 
reckons nothing. 

19. Should the elder put the cards he takes in 
with his discard, they must remain, and he play 
with seven cards only. 

20. If the younger leave a card, and mix it 
with his discard before showing it, the elder is 

I 



LAWS OF PIQUET. 97 

I entitled to see his whole discard, after the first 
card is played. 

21. If the younger leaves a card or cards, and 
neither looks at them nor mixes them with his 
discard, the elder is not entitled to see them, 
but they must remain apart. 

22. If the younger looks at the cards he 
leaves, the elder is entitled to see them also., first 
declaring what suit he will lead. 

23. The point is called and reckoned first : no 
mistake in its amount can be rectified after the 
younger has replied good or not good to the call. 

24. Sequences are reckoned next, and quatorze 
of aces, &c. last. Should you call a quart, hav- 
ing a quint, you must abide by your first call ; 
and should you call three aces, having four kings 
(for instance), you cannot reckon the latter un- 
less the former has been declared good. 

25. Whoever discovers he has dealt twice 



Gr 



98 LAWS OF PIQUET. 

before looking at his own cards, can insist upon 
his adversary dealing. 

26. An imperfect pack of cards does not ren- 
der the preceding deals void. 

27. The player who omits to show his carte 
blanche, points, or sequences, and to call his 
quatorze, cannot reckon them after he has played. 

28. When the elder leaves cards, he must 
specify the number. 

29. Any card is deemed to be played that has 
touched the board, unless it causes a revoke. 

30. If either name one suit, and play an- 
other, the adversary may call a suit. 



99 



LAWS OF CASSI1MO. 

Cassino is played by four persons, sometimes 
by three, and more frequently by two. The 
points consist of eleven, and six saves the lurch. 

The points are : — Great Cassino (ten of 

diamonds) - - - 2 

Little Cassino (two of spades) - - 1 

The four aces, one point each - - 4 

Majority of spades - - 1 

Majority of cards - - 3 

11 

One point is also reckoned for sweeping the 
board, before the end of the deal. 

It sometimes happens that neither party scores 
after a deal, as the smaller number of points is 
constantly subtracted from the larger; and if 
both prove equal, the game recommences, and 

Gr 2 



100 LAWS OF CASSINO. 

I 

• - ... 

the deal goes on in rotation. When three per- 
I sons play, the two having the fewest points add 
I them together, and subtract from the highest; 

but when their number of points, added together, 

amount to or exceed the highest, neither party 

scores. 

1. The deal and partners are determined by 
\ cutting, as at Whist ; four cards are dealt to 

each player, by one at a time ; and four more 
] are turned up on the board, either regularly by 

one at a time, or by two, three, or four at once. 

After the first cards are played, four more are 

dealt to each player, until the end of the pack ; 

but none are turned up on the board after the 
l first deal. 

2. The deal is recommenced when a card is 
faced by the dealer, or one is found to be faced 
in the pack during the first round, before any of 
the four cards are turned up on the board, but 

i 

! not afterwards. 



) 

LAWS OF CASSINO. 101 

3. Whoever plays with less than four cards J 
must abide by the loss ; and should a card be 
found under the table, the player whose number 
was deficient must take the same. 

4. One card is played at a time, with which j 
not only every card of the same denomination on i 
the board is taken, but all that will combine 
therewith likewise ; for instance, a ten takes not 
only another ten, but also nine and ace, eight 
and deuce, seven and three, six and four, and 
two fives. Whoever clears the board scores a 
point. When no cards are on the board, or a 
player can neither pair nor combine, he puts 
down a card. 

5. The tricks are not to be examined or count- 
ed before all the cards are played ; nor may any 
but the last be looked at, as mistakes must be 
challenged immediately. 

6. He who wins the last trick sweeps all the 
cards remaining unmatched upon the boards. 



102 



LAWS OF ECARTE. 

Ecarte, although played by two persons only, 
can interest a whole company ; who bet, and 
enter, and play in turn ; moreover, the bettors 
have a right to advise the players, but they may 
follow the advice or not, according to their own 
judgment : the game consists of five points, and 
is played with thirty-two cards ; the order of 
which is king, queen, knave, ace, &c. 

1. In cutting, the highest card deals ; if two 
cards are shown in cutting, the lowest is the 

! card cut. 

2. Five cards are dealt to each ; by three and 
two, or two and three at a time, at the option of 
the dealer; but the order with which he com- 
mences must be observed throughout a whole 
game. The eleventh card is the trump. 

3. Any card faced in the pack, except the 

L = 



LAWS OF EC ARTE. 



103 



eleven til, voids the deal, if discovered before 
either hand has been seen ; if not discovered 
until after discarding, and the faced card or cards 
fall to the dealer, those cards must form part of 
his hand ; if they fall to the elder hand it is at 
his option to call a fresh deal or not. 

4. If the dealer turn up one of his own cards, 
the deal is good ; if one of his adversary's, it is 
at his option to have a fresh deal or not. 

5. When it is discovered before the trump 
card is seen that a player has dealt out of his 
turn, the adversary must deal : when not dis- 
covered until afterwards, but before discarding 
and playing, that pack must remain just as it is I 
for the subsequent deal, and the game proceed by j 
the right dealer dealing with the other pack. 

6. Should a misdeal be discovered before 
either party has seen his hand, the cards must 
be restored to the order in which they would have 
fallen had no misdeal been made ; the same if the 



104 



LAWS OF ECARTE. 



elder hand, after taking in, perceive that the dealer 
has not given him as many cards as he asked for. 

7. If after the hands are seen by both parties, 
and, after taking in, the dealer have a deficiency, 
it is at the option of the elder to allow it to be 
supplied from the stock, or to have a fresh deal ; 
if the dealer have a card too many, the elder may 
either draw one from his hand by chance, or 
have a fresh deal, at his choice. 

8. If the elder have a deficiency, it is optional 
with him to supply it from the stock ; if he have 
too many, he may either discard the surplus him- 
self, or claim the deal, unless it arose from his 
own error ; for instance, having asked for more 
or less than he discarded : in that case the elder 
is punished by the loss of one point, and is not 
allowed to reckon the king. 

9. He who either discards, or plays with more 
than five cards, loses a point and the right of 
marking the king. 



LAWS OF ECARTE. 105 

10. If the dealer turn more than one card for 
the trump-, the elder, after looking at his hand, 
has the option of claiming the proper card to be 
trump, of placing all the cards seen at the bot- 
tom of the stock, or of calling a new deal. 

11. The king, either turned or held, is marked 
one point ; the elder must declare it before he 
plays, or when he leads the king mark it at the 
time ; the younger hand must always declare j 
the king before he plays to the first lead. 

12. He who has once proposed cannot refuse 
to take the number of cards he demanded ; he 
who looks at either discard, after taking in, must 
play with all his cards exposed. 

13. It sometimes happens, after proposing 
several times, sufficient cards do not remain for 
the younger hand; if so, he must take back his 
last discard. 

14. When the elder proposes for the first time, 
if the younger refuses to give cards, the elder 



106 LAWS OF EC ARTE. 

marks two points for the odd trick ; the elder 
in the same manner loses two points, by playing 
without proposing; winning the vole, or every 
trick, is marked two points, 

15. If, after giving cards, the dealer, from for- 
getfulness, turn up a card as trump, he cannot 
refuse a second discard if demanded. 

16. If the elder hand declare a suit he must 
play it ; if however he play any other, and the 
younger plays to it, the card once covered must 
so remain ; the same in playing out of turn. 

17. No revoke is allowed, and a trick must be 
won if a superior card is held ; there is no under- 
play or surprise; the cards are to be taken up 
again, and he who has revoked or underplayed 
counts one point less than he would have scored. 

13. If a player throws up and mixes his cards 
with others, the adversary scores two points. 

19. He who quits the game before it is finished 
loses ; but any by-stander, having betted, may 



I 

LAWS OF ECARTE. 107 

play it out for the benefit of himself and the 
company. 

20. When a pack of cards is discovered to be 
defective, the actual deal is void, but the pre- 
ceding ones stand good. 

%\ m The players have usually the privilege of 
accepting bets in preference to the by-standers. 



108 

LAWS OF CRIBBAGE. 

Cribbage has been reckoned useful to instruct 
young people in calculation ; they had, however, 
much better have recourse to other means, and 
not be initiated in card-playing, which must at 
least interfere with more innocent amusement, 
if it does not give an early taste for play. 

This game is played either by two, three, or 
four persons, with five, six, or sometimes eight 
cards. 

There are sixty-one points, or holes, upon d 
cribbage board, which make the game. 

1. The party cutting the lowest card deals. 

2. The dealer may discover his own cards ; but 
if he show any of his adversary's, the adversary 

I is entitled to mark two points ; also to call a 
fresh deal. 

3. If too many cards are dealt to either party, 



LAWS OF CRIBBAGE. 



109 



the non-dealer may score two points, and de- 
mand another deal ; but the error must be de- 
tected previous to taking up the cards ; if he 
should not choose a new deal, the extra cards 
must be drawn : when any one plays with more 
than his proper number of cards, the adversary 
is entitled to four points, and also to call a new 
deal. 

4. If any one meddle with the cards, after 
dealing, till the time of cutting for the turn-up 
card, the opponent scores two points. 

5. When any player scores more than he is 
entitled to, the other party not only takes from 
him as many points as are over-marked, but adds 
the extra number to his own score also. 

6. Either party meddling with even his own 
pegs unnecessarily, forfeits two points ; and who- 
ever takes out his front peg must place it behind 
the other. 

7. In five-card cribbage, the cards are to be 



110 LAWS OF CRIBBAGE. 

dealt one by one. In six-card cribbage, by three 
at a time ; and in eight-card, four at a time. 

8. The non-dealer, at the commencement of 
the game, in five-card cribbage, scores three 
points, called taking three for last ; but this is 
not the case in six and eight card cribbage. 

9. Flushes are reckoned when three or more 
cards of a suit are played successively ; the player 
of the third card scores three ; of the fourth, 
four j and so on. 

10. Sequences in play need not be laid down 
in order ; it is sufficient if the cards on the table 
form a sequence : for instance, suppose a six to 
be first played, then a four, then a three, and 
afterwards a deuce, it will make a sequence of 
three ; should a five then be played, it will be a 
sequence of five ; and if an ace or seven suc- 
ceed the five, it will be a sequence of six ; but if 
the fourth card should be a ten, or any other 
not in the sequence, it is then totally prevented. 



Ill 



LAWS OF BACKGAMMON. 

1. If a man, or men, be taken from a point, 
that man, or men, must be played. 

2. A man is not finally played until it is placed 
upon a point, and quitted. 

3. There is no penalty for playing with less 
than the regular number of fifteen men. 

4. If you bear any number of men before en- 
tering a man that has been taken up, the whole? 
so borne together, with the man taken up, must 
be re-entered in the adversary's tables. 

5. If a throw has been mistaken, and erro- 
neously played, it cannot be rectified after the 
adversary has thrown. 



FINISe 



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